Special radio documentary in Jeju dialect wins top prize for Jeju CBS

The following is a translated summary of a report from the local press. It has been edited for clarity, including the addition of links and information needed for readers unfamiliar with Jeju. — Ed.

The winners for each of the 28 sections of the 25th Korean Producers’ Awards have been decided, said a spokesman for the Korean [TV] Producers Association in a March 13 statement and a Jeju radio documentary has triumphed in the local radio category.

The Jeju winner was the Jeju CBS documentary “ON AIR! Pleasant Imagination,” which was produced by Kim Young-mi. One of the stated aims of the program is to preserve and popularize the Jeju dialect.

The story revolves around Park Soon-dong, an elementary school teacher and a member of the Toorum Brothers (a group dedicated to preserving the Jeju dialect). Songs included in the radio documentary are in the Jeju dialect and will be included in a school text book which the producers hope will encourage more young people to learn the dialect.

According to Kim Young-mi, the program is the result of an attempt to give people access to their native dialect and to popularize their songs. Recorded music introduced by the special program was distributed to 187 schools (elementary, middle, high and special-education schools) free of charge.

The awards ceremony was held in Seoul at the new wing of KBS Open Hall at 7 p.m., on March 14. — Jeju Sori